The term “On-Board Diagnostics” (OBD) refers to a computer-based monitoring system built into vehicles. For example, in the United States, model year 1996 and newer light-duty cars and trucks include an OBD system. The OBD system may monitor the performance of some of an engine's components.
In vehicles that include OBD systems, an OBD port may allow external devices (“OBD devices”) to be connected to and communicate with the OBD systems. The OBD devices may receive power from the OBD port of the vehicle, thus allowing the devices to be mounted in a relatively permanent manner within the vehicle. Due to mounting requirements of different OBD devices and/or different physical locations of OBD ports in different vehicles, an adapter may be used. The adapter may include a male OBD interface that is designed to be inserted into the OBD port of the vehicle, and a female OBD interface into which the OBD device may be inserted.